Is the Marigold Anti-Pest Quality a Myth??

Is the Marigold Anti-Pest Quality a Myth??

Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:55 am

All of my life, I've heard that marigolds are what you want for defending your vegetable garden. I've heard that you can lay down a barrier of marigolds that will stop the march of nasty pests, right. I've heard this all through my life, that marigolds are an effective pest repellent.

So, why are the pill bugs and slugs and earwigs eating my marigolds like cotton candy?

I go out to my vegetable garden every morning to find... stalks of marigolds. Just the stalks, no leaves. When I go out at midnight, I switch on my flashlight to find... marigolds covered in pill bugs and slugs and earwigs. Enough to make you queazy.

I go out at night and physically remove the vermin from my marigolds, which are struggling to stay alive.

So, the point of the post is, Who started the myth that the marigold is useful in pest control??

Far as I can see, the creepies eat marigolds as readily as anything else in the garden.

Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚Â Velocity

They say from a tiny acorn the mighty oak may grow. But you know what grows from old ladies' fingers? Old ladies.

marigolds and pests

Tue Jun 23, 2009 11:26 am

No, while there are some plants people put in their gardens to attract pests away from other plants (sunflowers are an example, supposed to attract aphids away from other things, but are tough enough not to be bothered by the aphids), marigolds are not one of them. Marigolds work by repelling pests. While it is not perfect and it does not mean because you planted a few marigolds, you will never see a pest in your garden (we wish! ), in general, they are pest free and at least somewhat pest repellant.

So for your marigolds to be attracting pests like that means that something is wrong with the plants. The pill bugs are a clue. Pill bugs are detritovores that I usually mainly see in my compost pile, helping break down the stuff in there. They don't attack living plants only dying ones. I think earwigs may be similar, though I'm not sure. Slugs will eat anything and slugs are not repelled by things that repel insects.

So likely your marigolds are not struggling because they have pill bugs and earwigs, they have those because they are struggling. The slugs could be the culprit or it could be something else. Try the beer traps and diatomaceous earth.

Right-O, I appreciate the reply. Actually, I was pretty amazed to see the pill bugs crawling all over the marigolds, too, and yes they were eating green leaves, right down to the stalk. I go out there and find these bright green stalks, just denuded of foliage, and I know who's doing it because I watch them at night.

But, yeah, I'll use beer on the slugs. For the other guys, the insects, I've got something special lined up Ã¢â‚¬â€ a bacterial powder.

However, I also wanted to ask about the use of bacterial powders and their impact on bees... Because I don't want to nuke the bees.

They say from a tiny acorn the mighty oak may grow. But you know what grows from old ladies' fingers? Old ladies.

I've read that some marigolds are more strongly scented than others, and that the more delicate varieties can attract pests instead of repelling them. The same author mentioned that using plants to repel pests or attract them away from your crops should only be used as a back-up method.

3 Tbs of mostly pure oil in a quart of water seems like a bit too much oil. Just a knee jerk reaction, not based on fact. Are you sure of these proportions? Too much oil can suffocate/burn the plant, especially in sunlight.